Four die in blast at bank

GUJRANWALA - A late night heavy explosion at a bank situated near a cardiac hospital resulted in deaths of four persons, including a woman patient. The building of MCB Sheikhupura Road Branch, Siddique Sadiq Memorial Trust Hospital canteen, washrooms, generator room and an adjacent residence were badly damaged. The blast was heard across the city while windows of nearby buildings were also shattered. The hospital closed down after the blast owing to suspension of electricity and gas supplies and all patients were shifted to other hospitals of the city. The blast occurred at about 2:55am and killed security guard Shahid Saleem, 45 years, Electrician Muhammad Sohail, 30 years, and parking space contractor Zahid Masih, 17-year-old. A hear patient Surya Bibi also fell victim to the blast as she died of a cardiac arrest due the shock. Rescue In-charge Ayaz Aslam told that his team did not find any explosive material while removing the bodies. He said the explosion was caused by bursting of a gas pipeline. But the gas company authorities claimed that pipeline explosions cause heavy fire and there was no fire in this particular incident. Siddique Sadiq Trust Chairman Sheikh Muhammad Nasim told that two generators of over six million rupees, building collapse and electricity power system damage has caused this charity hospital a loss of over ten million rupees.